Le Champignon Sauvage

SquareMeal Review of
Le Champignon Sauvage

SILVER AWARD

Since launching Le Champignon Sauvage back in 1987, David and Helen Everitt-Mathias have turned this Cheltenham champion into a destination cherished for its highly personal approach and exquisite, one-Michelin-starred food. Famously, David hasn’t missed a service since arriving here and he continues to apply red-hot technique to top-drawer produce and seasonal pickings. The result is a procession of “truly breath-taking” dishes ranging from pig’s trotter stuffed with nettles, snails and ox tongue (a standout for one reader) to partridge with sourdough gnocchi and turnip or roast cod with confit chicken wings, chicken juices, salsify and woodruff. Game fans might also relish the roasted wood pigeon with black pudding cream, potato and fig terrine, dandelion and burdock salsa, while desserts could feature a luscious duck egg custard cream pointed up with rhubarb and hibiscus. David’s wife Helen and her team “couldn’t be more friendly or helpful”, and the wine list is a veritable treasure trove of delights. Above all, it’s reckoned to be “phenomenal value for money” when compared to similar places in Michelin’s starry galaxy.

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Le Champignon Sauvage's Reviews

I am genuinely mystified as to how this place has received poor reviews recently and how its not tripadvisors number 1 in Cheltenham.
Although we are not regular fine dining afficiandos, we do like to treat ourselves every few months.
I am struggling to fault this place at all. Its a much more informal setting than other restaurants of its kind and whilst it perhaps lacks the big dining experience of other 2 star restaurants it makes up for it with sheer quality.
The service throughout really impressed us both. All the waitresses were genuinely friendly and welcoming without being too overbearing. We haven't got the foggiest about wines and they were brilliant about recommending some to go with our choices.
I started with the pigs trotter stuffed with nettles, snails ox tounge. Main course was partridge with sourdough gnocchi and turnip with acorn delice and mocha sorbet for dessert.
I dont really have enough superlatives to give justice to the food however every mouth full was truly breathtaking from the first amuse bouche to the petit four.
As for value for money, this place is phenomenal conpared to other 1 and 2 star places. We had 2 drinks on arrival, 3 courses each, cheese to share and coffee & petit four to finish. £200 final bill for a sublime 3 hour lunch felt like a bargain.

The food at Le Champignon Sauvage lives up to every expectation and the service is second to none. Although we arrived early most of the tables were occupied, creating a nice atmosphere for an early dinner. Our menu highlights were the butter poached lobster starter and the slow cooked lamb saddle. The wine list is also excellent and very reasonably priced too. Overall, a very enjoyable experience and highly recommend.

Le Champignon Sauvage never fails to disappoint, astonishing too that both chef/owner and his wife have never missed a service in almost 30 years! I’m not sure many a chef can boast this. As a two star restaurant you’d expect the price tag to be a hefty one, but the set course menu is astonishingly good value at £26 for two courses and £32 for three. This couple quietly go about their work and continue to exceed expectations. Highly recommend the terrine of Cornish ray and rabbit rillette, and the passion fruit tart with coconut sorbet and mango salad I could eat all day!